Imperial
05-05-2010, 07:01 PM
Well, at least classically liberal.
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2891333.htm
Economically dry, socially progressive and environmentally aware, Turnbull's politics represent a potentially lethal governing coalition. As in England, tribal markers of class and political allegiance are breaking down in Australia, opening the door to re-alignments that seemed unthinkable mere years ago. Poor old Malcolm was trying to make that argument the first time round to a party that denies climate change is either anthropogenic or combatable, that retains a fondness for Howard-era middle-class welfare and, one suspects, still hasn't quite got used to "Abos, wogs, boongs or poofters"... but if the electoral task proves to be beyond Abbott, he may find them a little more receptive to his views.
A Turnbull-led Liberal Party could re-draw the electoral map in its own favour. And he wouldn't need a third party; he would merely need to add the UK Lib-Dems' appeal to the existing conservatives in his own.
The Australian Labor Party now rivals the Liberals when it comes to social conservatism. Refugees? Gay rights? Repealing interventions in Aboriginal Communities? Nothing to see in Labor's shop-front there. Toss in the internet filter, failure on the CPRS and an industrial relations policy that didn't exactly cause too many smiles to break out in Trades Hall and its not hard to see how a truly liberal Liberal Party under Turnbull could pinch a large slice of the urban, educated middle-class support that's propped up Labor since Whitlam opened the party in the late 60s.
If that happened, where would Australian Labor be? Unions now comprise around 22 per cent of the Australian workforce - hardly an adequate electoral base for a governing party. The Greens are already threatening Labor's left flank, to the extent of feeling confident enough to block the CPRS in the Senate without fear of electoral reprisal. The business/union partnership model that has served Labor so well for the last 30 years could find itself impotent when robbed of both middle-class centrists and a Howard-esque bogeyman for the Left.
Caught in the vice of its own moderation, could such a scenario leave Labor squeezed out?
Historically, classical liberalism ceased to be a separate force in Australian politics with the passing of Alfred Deakin. Its marriage to conservatism, in the name of the anti-Labor cause, survived until the combination of Whitlamism and a 'drying-out' of the Liberal Party pushed many educated, urban social progressive voters towards Labor. These voters said 'Yes' to a Republic, and moved away from Howard in the last two or three terms of his government; Turnbull would bring them back again.
In a nation no longer beset by overriding sectarian, racial or class warfare, there are no guarantees in politics. Certainly a scenario in which the ALP is locked out of national government is a stretch to imagine from the view in 2010. It might all be too a long bow to draw. It might be improbable, it might even be impossible. But if Turnbull can put liberalism back into the Liberal Party, strange things could start to happen.
There is more at the link. I know some people here probably wouldn't like him on the environment. However, he seems more socially tolerant and fiscally conservative than those in his party today.
I think you are also seeing an outsider year in global politics, not just in America. The economic crisis has generally angered people globally. That's why you see people like Nick Clegg, perceived as an outsider (I have many qualms with this guy though- can you mix him with Nigel Farage?), running strong in Britain. You see the Libertarians running strong in Costa Rica. You see Medina, Rand Paul, Mike Lee and others running big campaigns.
Why not Australia?
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2891333.htm
Economically dry, socially progressive and environmentally aware, Turnbull's politics represent a potentially lethal governing coalition. As in England, tribal markers of class and political allegiance are breaking down in Australia, opening the door to re-alignments that seemed unthinkable mere years ago. Poor old Malcolm was trying to make that argument the first time round to a party that denies climate change is either anthropogenic or combatable, that retains a fondness for Howard-era middle-class welfare and, one suspects, still hasn't quite got used to "Abos, wogs, boongs or poofters"... but if the electoral task proves to be beyond Abbott, he may find them a little more receptive to his views.
A Turnbull-led Liberal Party could re-draw the electoral map in its own favour. And he wouldn't need a third party; he would merely need to add the UK Lib-Dems' appeal to the existing conservatives in his own.
The Australian Labor Party now rivals the Liberals when it comes to social conservatism. Refugees? Gay rights? Repealing interventions in Aboriginal Communities? Nothing to see in Labor's shop-front there. Toss in the internet filter, failure on the CPRS and an industrial relations policy that didn't exactly cause too many smiles to break out in Trades Hall and its not hard to see how a truly liberal Liberal Party under Turnbull could pinch a large slice of the urban, educated middle-class support that's propped up Labor since Whitlam opened the party in the late 60s.
If that happened, where would Australian Labor be? Unions now comprise around 22 per cent of the Australian workforce - hardly an adequate electoral base for a governing party. The Greens are already threatening Labor's left flank, to the extent of feeling confident enough to block the CPRS in the Senate without fear of electoral reprisal. The business/union partnership model that has served Labor so well for the last 30 years could find itself impotent when robbed of both middle-class centrists and a Howard-esque bogeyman for the Left.
Caught in the vice of its own moderation, could such a scenario leave Labor squeezed out?
Historically, classical liberalism ceased to be a separate force in Australian politics with the passing of Alfred Deakin. Its marriage to conservatism, in the name of the anti-Labor cause, survived until the combination of Whitlamism and a 'drying-out' of the Liberal Party pushed many educated, urban social progressive voters towards Labor. These voters said 'Yes' to a Republic, and moved away from Howard in the last two or three terms of his government; Turnbull would bring them back again.
In a nation no longer beset by overriding sectarian, racial or class warfare, there are no guarantees in politics. Certainly a scenario in which the ALP is locked out of national government is a stretch to imagine from the view in 2010. It might all be too a long bow to draw. It might be improbable, it might even be impossible. But if Turnbull can put liberalism back into the Liberal Party, strange things could start to happen.
There is more at the link. I know some people here probably wouldn't like him on the environment. However, he seems more socially tolerant and fiscally conservative than those in his party today.
I think you are also seeing an outsider year in global politics, not just in America. The economic crisis has generally angered people globally. That's why you see people like Nick Clegg, perceived as an outsider (I have many qualms with this guy though- can you mix him with Nigel Farage?), running strong in Britain. You see the Libertarians running strong in Costa Rica. You see Medina, Rand Paul, Mike Lee and others running big campaigns.
Why not Australia?